President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that the country needs guarantees of stable gas supply after the launch of Nord Stream 2.

He announced this during a conversation with journalists at the Ukraine 30. Humanitarian Policy forum.

“Energy security is not just words for us.

First, we get ... $ 2 billion annually for transit.

Big money.

If we are talking about Ukraine's green course, where are we going, what is this about?

Reducing the production and use of gas, right?

And also this is a decrease in thermal generation, right?

Yes ... Where do we get the money for all this?

Two billion is part of this money, which we spend on infrastructure, and on our army, and on changing the energy infrastructure of Ukraine.

This is if we go to the green course.

Where to get this money? ”Zelensky said.

According to him, under these conditions Kiev expects to receive guarantees from its partners for "normal" gas supplies for the next 10-15 years.

“How many years do we need to go over and get real results from renewed energy?

I think 10-15.

That is, we must be provided for for ten years, first of all, our people, - he stressed.

- Our Ukrainian gas is not enough.

It is necessary to increase production, but nevertheless, we are talking about today.

For 10-15 years we must be sure that we will have normal gas supplies.

We need these guarantees. "

At the same time, as Zelensky noted, the price of gas is also important for Ukraine.

“We have an annual package, it is less than 8 hryvnia (about 22 rubles -

RT

) for people.

And what will happen if we do not have this?

And even if we do not have gas transit, but there will be an opportunity, according to agreements, for example, to receive gas from Europe, then at what price?

Who will compensate for this? ”Asked the Ukrainian leader.

Gas issue

On Monday, July 12, Zelensky demanded guarantees of energy security for Ukraine from the EU and Germany after the launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, voicing this position during negotiations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“The energy security of Europe and Ukraine is a real concern for Germany.

However, Ukraine needs guarantees from the EU and especially from Germany.

Therefore, the issue of Nord Stream 2 should be on the agenda of the next meeting in the Normandy format, "he wrote on Twitter.

Germany really cares about the energy security of Europe & Ukraine.

But 🇺🇦 must have the EU and particularly 🇩🇪 guarantees in this area.

Hence, the # NS2 issue should be on the agenda of the next meeting in the #Normandy format.

Stated this at a meeting with Mrs.

Merkel in Berlin.

pic.twitter.com/sAZrx7JlvI

- Volodymyr Zelensky (@ZelenskyyUa) July 12, 2021

In turn, during a joint press conference with Zelensky, Merkel said that gas transit through Ukraine would not stop due to the commissioning of a new trans-Baltic pipeline.

“We will make every effort to make it clear that Nord Stream 2 is not a replacement for the promised supplies through Ukraine,” Bloomberg quoted her as saying.

After these statements, the head of the Ukrainian Gas Transportation System (GTS) Operator, Sergei Makogon, expressed the opinion that a long-term contract for the transit of Russian gas could become an acceptable "compensation" for Kiev for the launch of Nord Stream 2.

“Obviously, hydrogen ideas cannot be equal compensation.

These are different areas of cooperation with the EU.

The only acceptable option for us is a new contract for gas transit for 45-50 billion cubic meters of gas per year for the next 15 years with financial guarantees from European banks or companies, ”Makogon said in an interview with Liga.net.

In early June, Moscow's position on gas transit through Ukraine was outlined by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, he recalled that there is a transit contract between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, according to which Russia will pump up to 40 billion cubic meters of gas annually in the next five years.

At the same time, Putin said that he sees the possibility of loading the gas transportation system of Ukraine with blue fuel after the completion of this contract.

“In the next ten years, the volume of supplies to Europe may increase by an additional 50 billion (cubic meters. -

RT

).

Here you go, there is an opportunity to load the Ukrainian gas transportation system in the future, even after the expiration of our transit contract, ”he said, noting that the Russian side is ready for this, but“ goodwill is needed ”from Kiev.

The head of state also drew attention to the fact that the gas transit monopoly is “bad”.

“The monopoly possibility of gas transit gives rise to the illusion that it is possible to inflate prices to the skies for this transit, on the one hand, and on the other hand, try to lower the price of gas that is purchased for Ukraine in direct contracts between Russia and Ukraine as low as possible,” he noted. the president.

"It will be much more expensive"

As noted by a RT source in the office of the Ukrainian president, Zelensky makes loud statements on the eve of the meeting between the head of the White House Joe Biden and Angela Merkel.

Nord Stream 2 will be completed, and the only thing Kiev can claim is compensation for the modernization and possible re-profiling of the pipe.

But nothing concrete was promised to Zelensky at the meeting in Berlin.

Biden is in no hurry to support Ukraine, as many experts had hoped.

Therefore, Zelensky tries to shout as loudly as possible to remind of himself, ”said a spokesman for the presidential office.

  • GTS of Ukraine

  • Reuters

  • © Gleb Garanich

In turn, a RT source in the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine stated that after the completion of the contract for the transit of Russian gas through the territory of the republic "there is no guarantee that a new agreement will be concluded."

“This will have to be discussed at the highest level, and it will be necessary to make concessions.

Russia and Europe now have an alternative to the once uncontested "pipe".

And the concessions can be significant.

Zelensky wants to go for a second term and is doing everything to "attach" the GTS.

But so far there are no people willing to do it, as well as an understanding of what to do next.

I think that the EU definitely does not need it, ”said the interlocutor of RT.

The RT source in the Batkivshchyna party believes that Ukraine's western partners are not very worried about the fate of the country: “They, of course, can allocate a couple of hundred million dollars in compensation or promise another loan.

But under strict obligations. "

According to Denis Denisov, director of the Institute for Peacekeeping Initiatives and Conflictology, Ukraine found itself in a very difficult situation, when “due to the strategically erroneous course” of Kiev, it continues to lose its advantages, including the volume of gas transit.

“Nobody forced Ukraine to become an anti-Russian state ... However, Moscow still does not break ties in this area.

Zelensky's demands are an attempt to manipulate the situation around Nord Stream 2.

But even the EU will not be led to this, they will not finance Ukraine free of charge or deal with its gas problems, ”said the interlocutor of RT.

As political scientist and economist Alexander Dudchak noted, the demands for compensation and guarantees put forward by Zelensky "look very funny."

“The President of Ukraine in this situation is like a child who asks for something that no one is going to do.

The European Union is busy with its own problems amid the pandemic, Germany alone also has little that can be done.

The United States can offer to supply its liquefied natural gas, it is possible to deliver it through Polish terminals to Ukraine, but it will be much more expensive than Russian gas, "the expert said in a conversation with RT.

According to Dudchak, the United States and Germany would like Moscow to "take on the maintenance" of Ukraine, whose authorities are still pursuing an anti-Russian policy.

“But this is already beyond the bounds of decency. The Russian side, of course, will not cut off the Ukrainian pipe on purpose, there is no need for that. If the Russian Federation is profitable to provide Europe with gas also with the help of the Ukrainian GTS, then there will be transit. However, its volumes will still be less than the current ones. And this is quite expedient, since the gas transportation system in Ukraine needs modernization, and a lot of money is spent on its maintenance. How the situation around the transit will continue to develop depends largely on the behavior of Kiev, ”the expert concluded.